Articles related to Mike Parnell, Super 8

By: Michael Parnell'Annihilation' is a sci-fi horror movie that's not for the faint-hearted, but its message will resonate with many. How we deal with change in our fast-paced society will determine our survival. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

By: Michael ParnellBest-picture nominee "The Shape of Water" is a multifaceted tale that reminds us that we often decide who is worthy of dignity and compassion based on who looks most like us. (Photo: Fox Searchlight)

By: Michael Parnell"Downsizing" is an acquired taste. Marketed as a light-hearted comedy, the film takes a darker comedic turn. While it has a powerful narrative, something seems to be missing. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

By: Michael ParnellA high school senior longs to find her own way in the coming-of-age story "Lady Bird." The writer and director creates a true-to-life portrayal of the mother-daughter relationship. (Photo: A24 Films)

By: Michael ParnellSometimes, you need to view a movie more than once to truly appreciate and understand it. The visually stunning "Blade Runner 2049" is such a film. And it's a great Christmas movie. (Photo: Warner Bros.)

By: Michael Parnell'Same Kind of Different as Me' is a 'Christian' film that doesn't want the baggage that comes with that label. A stronger faith message would have been preferred, but it's a fine film with solid performances. (Photo: Paramount)

By: Michael ParnellAs a movie reviewer, I go to movies so you don't have to. One such movie is "Mother!" It's weird, disturbing, gross and hard to stomach. I cannot recommend it. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

By: Michael Parnell"All Saints" excels where other films in the Christian and faith-based genre have not. It's a realistic depiction of what it's like trying to do church today - messy, confusing and many times frustrating. (Photo: Affirm Films)

By: Michael Parnell"Detroit" could not be a timelier movie. A gritty portrait of the 12th Street Riot of 1967, the film forces us to have a conversation about race - one that most of us don't want to have. (Photo: Annapurna Pictures)

By: Michael ParnellIt takes a lot of volunteers to run a massive event like Comic-Con. Often, those volunteers are placed wherever a warm body is needed with no thought to their skills or gifts. Kind of like some churches.

By: Michael Parnell"War for the Planet of the Apes" closes out the modern-day trilogy with a climactic end, bringing the curtain down on the pre-history of the popular series of movies that began in the late 1960s. (Photo: 20th Century Fox)

By: Michael ParnellYour friendly neighborhood Spider-Man gets another cinematic reboot, and this time the producers have found the right formula for everyone's favorite wall-crawler. (Photo: Columbia Pictures)

By: Michael ParnellToday's blockbusters are CGI-laden spectaculars, but "Baby Driver" is a throwback to the time when movies had a guy with a fast car, his girl and a cool soundtrack. It's a perfect summer movie. (Photo: Sony Pictures)

By: Michael ParnellAlthough muddled in its execution, "Beatriz at Dinner" starring Salma Hayek offers a wonderful chance to talk about how we respond to the strangers in our lives. (Photo: Roadside Attractions)

By: Michael Parnell"It Comes at Night" may be marketed as a horror movie but it defies classification. It's a tale about what happens when trust erodes in a society, and we all stick to our tribes. (Photo: A24 Films)

By: Michael ParnellRidley Scott directed a masterpiece in 1979 with "Alien." He followed that up with "Prometheus" and now "Alien: Covenant," a film that reveals creation comes with all manner of horror. (Photo: Twentieth Century Fox)

By: Michael ParnellAn early 20th-century explorer faces racism back home when he shares his discovery of a lost South American city built by people of color that rivaled any comparable city built by Europeans. (Photo: Bleecker Street)

By: Michael ParnellBased on the best-selling true story of Lee Strobel's journey to become a Christian, "The Case for Christ" commits a fatal flaw in its storytelling, making it a bad testimony about the nature of God. (Photo: Pure Flix)

By: Michael ParnellA movie should tell a compelling story and ask us to think. 'Ghost in the Shell' does not do that, even though it is a visually stunning film. And that is a shame. (Photo: Paramount)

By: Michael ParnellDon't get bogged down over theology when you watch "The Shack," based on the best-seller. It's a movie that speaks to the millions who struggle with unresolved grief. (Photo: Lionsgate)

By: Michael Parnell"The Founder" reveals an unflattering picture of the American success story. While we idolize folks who make big money, we never ask the hard question of how they made those millions. (Photo: The Weinstein Company)

By: Michael ParnellMartin Scorsese's 'Silence' may be the most Christian film ever made, but few will see it. The story of two priests in 16th-century Japan, the challenging film isn't for the faint of heart. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

By: Michael ParnellFor a window into our nation's larger history and the role that three extraordinary African-American women played in the space program, "Hidden Figures" is stellar. (Photo: 20th Century Fox)

By: Michael ParnellAugust Wilson's play, "Fences," is lovingly brought to the screen by actor and director Denzel Washington. This film features some of the best performances of the decade. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

By: Michael Parnell"Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" tells the saga of what took place before that first Star Wars movie in 1977. It's a rousing film that takes its role seriously as part of a larger whole. (Photo: Disney / Lucasfilm)

By: Michael Parnell"Loving" tells the story of an interracial couple marrying in 1950s Virginia. Their union violates state law, and they take their battle to the Supreme Court. One of the year's best films. (Photo: Focus Features)

By: Michael ParnellThe newest comic-book movie on the block, "Doctor Strange," introduces the topic of the spiritual into the Marvel Universe. While serviceable, it tries too hard to cram too much into the story. (Photo: Marvel)

By: Michael Parnell"The Birth of a Nation" may have its flaws, but it tells an important story about a preacher to the slave community who can no longer preach submission and calls his fellow slaves to rise up. (Photo: Fox Searchlight)

By: Michael ParnellMovies are an art form. There's much more going on than pretty pictures up on a screen. One church is connecting with its community by showing secular movies and discussing their spiritual messages.

By: Michael ParnellWith payday lenders putting people into indentured servanthood, "Hell or High Water" follows two brothers doing wrong things for what seems to be the right reason. (Photo: CBS Films)

Based on a true story of a family that survived the tsunami that struck Thailand, "The Impossible" reminds us that we must be willing to share what we have to help others in need. (Photo: Summit Entertainment)

"ParaNorman," a stop-motion animated film, is about a boy who talks to the dead but has few friends among the living. It's a funny movie with a strong message about forgiveness. (Photo: Focus Features)

"Beasts of the Southern Wild" tells the story of a 6-year-old trying to survive in the days after Katrina. With a powerful performance from its young star, it's a magical movie. (Photo: Fox Searchlight)

"Prometheus" is a wonderfully shot movie with a lot to say about faith. Still, it's a flawed effort with little character development. Maybe the director's cut will be better. (Photo: Twentieth Century Fox)

Three teenagers gain telekinetic powers in "Chronicle," an entertaining film that examines what happens when a downtrodden soul has the power to strike back at those who bully him. (Photo: Twentieth Century Fox)

Heist movies are known for their twists and turns, but "Tower Heist" offers no real surprises. And the scene-stealing star of the movie doesn't appear until the film's half over. (Photo: Universal Pictures)

"Real Steel" is not an original story but it has the stuff that entertains audiences: the underdog who gets the opportunity of a lifetime, and a father-son relationship with potential. (Photo: DreamWorks SKG)

"Moneyball" is more than a movie about baseball and statistics. It's about what happens when someone tries to breathe life into an old institution and how some people resist that change. (Photo: Columbia TriStar)

Going back and forth between 1997 and the days after World War II, "The Debt" tells the tale of a trio pursuing a Nazi war criminal, but the muddled motivations of the characters make this film fall short. (Photo: Miramax)

Based on the best-seller, "The Help," which examines the lives of African-American maids working for white families in the '60s, is a sugar-coated film that glosses over the real dangers of the time. (Photo: DreamWorks)

While "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" doesn't follow the history laid out in the original films, it's a good summer movie that pulls you into its story through Caesar, an ape with remarkable abilities. (Photo: 20th Century Fox)

The Harry Potter film franchise comes to a satisfying end with "The Deathly Hallows: Part 2" as the "boy who lived" faces insurmountable evil with courage and love as his weapons. (Photo: Warner Bros.)

Paying homage to the movies of Steven Spielberg, "Super 8" is a nostalgic trip back to the '70s about kids who are thrust into a government cover-up while making a zombie movie. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

"X Men: First Class," a prequel to the previous X-Men movies, follows two mutants, Professor X and Magneto, and their strikingly different views of humanity. It's a fine reboot to the franchise. (Photo: 20th Century Fox)

Movie sequels are usually watered-down versions of the original, but not "Kung Fu Panda 2" – a movie that asks subtle questions about what it means to live a spiritual life. (Photo: DreamWorks Animation)

The summer movie season launched with "Thor," another adaptation of a Marvel comic-book character. It's an above-average film that doesn't have a deeper message. It just entertains. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

Who wouldn't love a tale about running away and joining the circus? Sadly, with weak characters and a miscast male lead, "Water for Elephants" evaporates into a pedestrian love story. (Photo: Twentieth Century Fox)

"Win Win" features Paul Giamatti as a cash-strapped lawyer who sees a way to make some easy money and break his wrestling team's losing streak. It's another win for director Thomas McCarthy. (Photo: 20th Century Fox)

With "True Grit" and now the animated "Rango," the Western is alive and well in Hollywood. And this Western with desert critters is delightfully strange and filled with pop culture references. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

In "The Adjustment Bureau," Matt Damon discovers his life has been scripted to follow a carefully predetermined path. The movie is a nice attempt, but the script needed some adjustments. (Photo: Universal Pictures)

With his right arm pinned down by a boulder in a Utah canyon for five days, James Franco's character in "127 Hours" must come to terms with the grim reality of loss as the path to his life's salvation. (Photo: Fox Searchlight)

With the Academy Award nominees revealed on Jan. 25, the battle for best picture is a faceoff between "The King's Speech" and "The Social Network." But will "True Grit" ride in on a dark horse to steal the top Oscar?

"The King's Speech" is more than a costume drama about the royals. With a brilliant performance by Colin Firth, it's a film about finding the courage to overcome your fears. (Photo: The Weinstein Company)

The first "True Grit" focused on the legendary John Wayne. This new version by Joel and Ethan Coen focuses on a 14-year-old girl and what she'll do to make things right in a world of sin and loss. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

Featuring a particularly powerful performance by Christian Bale, "The Fighter" is more than a boxing movie. It speaks to us about drug use and the pain it inflicts on families. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

"Unstoppable" tells the story of an unmanned freight train speeding into an urban area. It's a fine movie to see when you want to forget about the world and get lost for a time. (Photo: 20th Century Fox)

"Conviction" is the story of a woman's sacrificial quest to exonerate her wrongfully convicted brother. Hilary Swank embodies this working-class woman, who gives all she has for her wayward sibling. (Photo: Fox Searchlight)

Clint Eastwood's "Hereafter" weaves together three stories about death. While he resolves these stories with sensitivity and warmth, the larger picture of what he's trying to say remains elusive. (Photo: Warner Bros.)

A half-century ago, "The Andy Griffith Show" premiered on the nation's TV sets. The show is revered as a classic today, but what's its appeal? As one person said, it's about man's humanity to man, and not man's inhumanity.

"The Social Network" is a witty and poignant story about the creation of Facebook. Giving us the grand tour of how kids can become billionaires, the film is an early Oscar contender. (Photo: Columbia Pictures)

You would think "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps" would offer insight into the why and how of our economic collapse. Sadly, the sequel is a sad and weak reflection of its predecessor. (Photo: 20th Century Fox)

In "Get Low," the reclusive Felix Bush (Robert Duvall) decides he's going to attend his funeral – alive. The movie reminds us that those we dismiss are people with feelings, longings and truth. (Photo: Sony Pictures Classics)

Comics aren't like the ones found on the spinner racks of our childhood drugstores. Rather than give us escapism, graphic novels dealing with life's issues hold up a mirror; they show us ugliness and sin.

"Winter's Bone" is the story of a teen who gives up everything for the sake of two little ones and a mama who knows no better. It is film storytelling in one of its best incarnations. (Photo: Roadside Attractions)

The twists and turns in "Inception" propel it to the finest movie of this summer. Director and writer Christopher Nolan gives us a complex story that has a real heart at its core. (Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures)

Movie villains are often more interesting than heroes. In "Despicable Me," the villain is the star. The bad guy, Gru, is determined to steal the moon and earn his mother's love. (Photo: Universal Pictures)

"The A-Team," a remake of the '80s TV series, combines explosive action and genuine humor to make a great popcorn flick, but the language makes it inappropriate for kids. (Photo: Twentieth Century-Fox)

"Shrek Forever After" lacks the subversive tone of the original, which turned the fairy tale paradigm on its head. The latest sequel is the last gasp of a once-fun movie series. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

"Iron Man 2" is good but not great. The action movie doesn't meet the original's standards and borders on campiness. However, more than anything else, it does shine because of its actors. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

A movie like "Date Night" doesn't enhance cinema greatness. It's not even a fantastic must-see movie. But what it does, it does well. You'll laugh and walk away entertained. (Photo: Twentieth Century Fox)

While the animated film "How to Train Your Dragon" is boilerplate storytelling, the film makes up for it with real characters, a sense of humor and a strong message about the pressures faced by teens. (Photo: DreamWorks SKG)

In "Shutter Island," director Martin Scorsese is at the top of his craft here. Delivering suspense and intrigue akin to Hitchcock, Scorsese gives us a vision not seen in movies for decades. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

"Alice in Wonderland" is a wonderful story, but this latest take on Lewis Carroll's classic implies that the way to become fully woman is to behave like a man. In that respect, this film's a bad dream. (Photo: Walt Disney Pictures)

"Blood Done Sign My Name" is a mildly disappointing story that's been told many times about a town torn apart by racism. It seems better suited as a TV miniseries rather than a feature film. (Photo: Paladin)

What would a world devoid of faith and religion look like? "The Book of Eli" gives us a glimpse. As Eli, Denzel Washington is a man walking by faith in a post-apocalyptic land with the last Bible. (Photo: Warner Bros.)

In "Up in the Air," one of 2009's finest movies, George Clooney plays a corporate hired gun who's more comfortable flying from city to city than dealing with relationships on the ground. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

"Avatar" is a wondrous movie that's worth the extra price to see in 3-D. Director James Cameron immerses moviegoers in a new world in this tale of greed and unbridled desires. (Photo: 20th Century Fox)

Many people won't get "A Serious Man," the Coen brothers' latest film. Based on the story of Job, it's the tale of Larry Gopnik, who seeks answers as his life crashes down around him. (Photo: Focus Features)

"Precious" takes us into a world that is not too far from where we live but we don't often see. It's an unrelenting film about an overweight pregnant teen trying to survive a living hell while craving to be loved. (Photo: Lionsgate)

Director Robert Zemeckis creates visual magic in the latest theatrical version of Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." Once again, we see Ebenezer Scrooge learn that anyone can find redemption. (Photo: Disney Pictures)

Spike Jonze directs a movie about the foibles of family. It's an honest film about a boy trying to find his way in the world, longing for what should be but stuck with what is. (Photo: Warner Brothers Pictures)

Set in a world where no one tells a lie, "The Invention of Lying" is a comedy that works at times. However, its myopic observations about religion and personal faith are offensive. (Photo: Warner Brothers Pictures)

"9" is an ambitious and beautiful movie. Its makers try to say something about humanity's flirtation with technology and the danger it presents. Sadly, the storytelling suffers. (Photo: Focus Features)

"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" blows up real good – and that's about it. With plot holes large enough to drive Optimus Prime through, this sequel should be avoided at all costs. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

"Land of the Lost" is a film adaptation of the cheesy children's television series by Sid and Marty Krofft. The movie attempts to capture some of that cheese, but it's not bad enough to be good. It is just bad. (Photo: Universal Pictures)

Disney/Pixar's new movie, "Up," is an answer to the complaint that there's nothing good in the movies. People wonder why they just don't make an old-fashioned movie like they used to. "Up" is that movie. Don't miss it.

"Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian" isn't a bad movie, but it's not a good one either. Its high point is Amy Adams as Amelia Earhart, who brings a breath of fresh air to the staleness of the musty old museum air.

In a good thriller, you have to help your audience buy into the story's premise. Although Ron Howard knows how to make a good thriller, "Angels and Demons" strains under the weight of too much narrative baggage. (Photo: Sony Pictures)

"Star Trek" is a movie about the marking of family. It is the telling of how the iconic 1960s television characters James T. Kirk and Spock come to be friends and what the forces were behind that friendship. (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

“Monsters vs. Aliens” wants to recreate the vibe of Looney Tunes and the social consciousness of those ’50s science fiction/horror movies, but it misses. The jokes are not that funny and the gags are hackneyed.

Kate Winslett, nominated for Best Actress at this year’s Oscars, gives a remarkable performance. She is restrained emotionally in moments seemingly requiring emotion, but passionate in passionless moments.

Mickey Rourke is nominated for a Best Actor Oscar this year. And well he should. No actor in recent memory shows more physicality and pathos. He is beaten down and you see the pain, but you also see the hope for redemption on his face.

An earlier column at EthicsDaily.com spoke of this movie from a Catholic point of view. Phyllis Zagano believes this movie paints a caricature of the Catholic Church and that it speaks doubtfully about religion, the church and God. My opinion is much different.

How important are lace-up shoes for men? According to Richard Nixon (Frank Langella), in Ron Howard’s “Frost/Nixon,” a man who doesn’t wear laces is less than a man. That small opinion is a big part of this movie.

Not everyone is a "people person." Take Bertram Pincus (Ricky Gervais). He's a dentist, and he likes the fact that dental implements keep people from talking. With an office next to his apartment building, he merely moves a couple hundred feet and hardly sees a soul. But things change.

Henry Poole (Luke Wilson) is a man looking for a cocoon. He just wants to buy a house in his childhood neighborhood, get lots of alcohol and frozen pizza from the supermarket down the street, and hunker down to live out the remaining days of his life. Alone.

Henry Poole (Luke Wilson) is a man looking for a cocoon. He just wants to buy a house in his childhood neighborhood, get lots of alcohol and frozen pizza from the supermarket down the street, and hunker down to live out the remaining days of his life. Alone.

Indy aged, and so did the world. In the fourth installment of the Indiana Jones franchise, Indy (Harrison Ford) is embroiled in the controversy of the day, Soviet Communism. It's 1957, and Indy is prisoner of a Soviet paranormal researcher named Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett), who's snooping around Roswell, New Mexico.

Indy aged, and so did the world. In the fourth installment of the Indiana Jones franchise, Indy (Harrison Ford) is embroiled in the controversy of the day, Soviet Communism. It's 1957, and Indy is prisoner of a Soviet paranormal researcher named Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett), who's snooping around Roswell, New Mexico.

Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) has the world by the tail. He is a billionaire with a genius IQ. Stark Industries, his company, is a top weapons producer for the Department of Defense. Women fall into his bed with ease. Life is good.

Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) has the world by the tail. He is a billionaire with a genius IQ. Stark Industries, his company, is a top weapons producer for the Department of Defense. Women fall into his bed with ease. Life is good.

Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess) is a genius. At the top of his class at MIT, his mind can add, subtract, multiply and divide large numbers. He wants to attend Harvard Medical School, but there's a problem: money.

Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess) is a genius. At the top of his class at MIT, his mind can add, subtract, multiply and divide large numbers. He wants to attend Harvard Medical School, but there's a problem: money.

"Stop-Loss" is an anti-war movie with a war hero at its center. Brandon King (Ryan Phillippe) is a decorated soldier who returns to his Texas hometown believing his days in the Army are over. But instead of being discharged as expected, he is told he is being shipped back to Iraq as a stop-loss: the way the Army holds on to soldiers who fulfilled their contracts, but are deemed too valuable to allow out of the service.

"Stop-Loss" is an anti-war movie with a war hero at its center. Brandon King (Ryan Phillippe) is a decorated soldier who returns to his Texas hometown believing his days in the Army are over. But instead of being discharged as expected, he is told he is being shipped back to Iraq as a stop-loss: the way the Army holds on to soldiers who fulfilled their contracts, but are deemed too valuable to allow out of the service.

"Atonement" shows the power of a lie and how hard it is to undo a wrong done. It begins as a piece of fluff, during the days before World War II, on an English estate. Young writer-to-be Briony Tallis (Saorise Ronan) witnesses an act and misunderstands what she has seen, then tells a lie. That lie turns the world upside down for her sister, Cecilia (Keira Knightley), and Cecilia's lover, Robbie (James McAvovy).

"Atonement" shows the power of a lie and how hard it is to undo a wrong done. It begins as a piece of fluff, during the days before World War II, on an English estate. Young writer-to-be Briony Tallis (Saorise Ronan) witnesses an act and misunderstands what she has seen, then tells a lie. That lie turns the world upside down for her sister, Cecilia (Keira Knightley), and Cecilia's lover, Robbie (James McAvovy).

"Juno" deals with the issue of teenage pregnancy, but it does so with a sense of pluck and humor. This is not an "after-school special" look at the issue. It has laughter and tears, which all pregnancies have. And it has as its central character one that provides the film with heart and direction.

"Juno" deals with the issue of teenage pregnancy, but it does so with a sense of pluck and humor. This is not an "after-school special" look at the issue. It has laughter and tears, which all pregnancies have. And it has as its central character one that provides the film with heart and direction.

"No Country for Old Men" addresses an age-old problem: Why is it hard to do the right thing? A character from a forgotten movie once said: "Funny, ain't it, how it comes around. Right way's the hardest, wrong way's the easiest. Rule of nature, like water seeks the path of least resistance. So you get crooked rivers, crooked men."

"No Country for Old Men" addresses an age-old problem: Why is it hard to do the right thing? A character from a forgotten movie once said: "Funny, ain't it, how it comes around. Right way's the hardest, wrong way's the easiest. Rule of nature, like water seeks the path of least resistance. So you get crooked rivers, crooked men."

Daniel Day-Lewis gives a stellar performance as Daniel Plainview, a turn-of-the-20th-century robber baron in "There Will Be Blood." Paul Thomas Anderson ("Magnolia") wrote and directed this bleak picture on the intersection of money and religion.

Daniel Day-Lewis gives a stellar performance as Daniel Plainview, a turn-of-the-20th-century robber baron in "There Will Be Blood." Paul Thomas Anderson ("Magnolia") wrote and directed this bleak picture on the intersection of money and religion.

Naomi Levy, in her book To Begin Again, tells the story of a parishioner in her synagogue who survived a brutal attack on Yom Kippur. The victim asked: "Where was God? Was God so busy at the Yom Kippur service in synagogue that God forgot about me?"

Everyone who took 12th-grade English knows the story of Beowulf. When I entered my first class of English Literature, Mrs. Gane told the class, "Yes, I'm Grendel's mother." We had no idea who she meant, but by end of the first six weeks, we did.

When was the last time a movie had the catalyst for its story set in church? The last one I remember is "The Blues Brothers" in 1980. "The Simpsons Movie," now playing, really begins its story in the midst of a church service, and what happens there sets up everything to follow.

Sin, wrote Paul Tillich, is estrangement from God. He believed that estrangement reaches not only the relationship between the person and God, but the person and all other relationships. When a person is caught up in sin, that person gets disconnected from everyone.

The saying "familiarity breeds contempt" doesn't hold true for James Bond. With six different actors playing Bond across 21 films, it might seem that we would grow weary of 007. Not so in "Casino Royale," now playing.

"Little Miss Sunshine" is a dysfunctional-family-on-a-road-trip movie. And there's more going on here than in the "National Lampoon's Vacation" movies. The story here is not about a vacation, but about trying to make a little girl's dream come true.

"Lady in the Water," now in theaters, swings for the fences as writer-director M. Night Shyamalan stuffs his movie with a study of the creative process and a primer on purpose. Paul Giamatti plays maintenance man Cleveland Heep, a sad gentleman who stammers when he talks, but who also spends his life caring for the people of The Cove apartment complex.

Adam Chamberlain is a young man who seems to have it all: a lovely fiancée, a best-selling book and regular appearances on television. For most 20-year-olds, that's the American Dream. But Adam has also done something that would seem practically un-American in this day and age: He has sworn off sex until marriage.

In Romans 13, Paul wrote: "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves."

As I child, I would stay up late on Saturday nights and watch "Shock Theater." It was a local show hosted by Paul Bearer, who screened old horror films. Yet one of those horror films was no horror at all: It was "King Kong," which told the story of a large ape that fell, literally, for a blonde.

Poor Harry Potter. In his latest adventure he faces fire-breathing dragons, an hour-long underwater swim and a maze that rises up to claim those who walk in it. And then it gets worse: He has to get a date for the Yule Ball.

Joseph Fletcher put forth the tenets of "situational ethics," stating that each situation dictates proper action and that love ultimately guides the process of decision. What we see in "Capote," the new film biography of Truman Capote, is how the idea of situational ethics can be a slippery slope into self-destruction. When love for the sake of art is the motivation, there can be consequences.

Sometimes a film presents a tremendous vision, but it comes wrapped in images that obstruct the vision for many. We see descriptions of "graphic violence" and "strong sexual content" and decide the movie isn't for us.

If you go down to your local multiplex, you will probably find a movie based on a comic book. When these movies are good, they are good. When they are bad, they generally stink. Warner Bros., which is part of the media group that owns DC Comics, comes back to comic-based movies with "Batman Begins." And it is not just good; it is great.

Growing up "born again," you heard sermons on all kinds of subjects—like "no dancing," because you can't witness on the dance floor. Or "no movies on Sunday," because the Rapture could happen and you didn't want Jesus to catch you in a theater.

Africa is a land of intrigue, partly because it has been victimized by colonialism. Once the European powers released their grip on the continent, many of Africa's countries were taken over by dictators who continued to rule with an iron fist.

Martin Scorsese is one of the greatest directors never to win an Oscar. He made "Raging Bull," considered by many to be the greatest movie of the 1980s, and "GoodFellas," which others consider the greatest movie of the 1990s. Still, he has not won an Oscar for best director.

"National Treasure" tells the story of Benjamin Franklin Gates (Nicholas Cage), a self-proclaimed "treasure protector" in search of the treasure of the Knights Templar. He doesn't want the treasure for himself, but to keep it from falling into the hands of ruthless men. As such, he follows clues to the treasure's whereabouts left behind by America's forefathers.

If you love James Bond and Jonny Quest, you will love "The Incredibles." Brad Bird, who worked on "The Simpsons" and made one of the best sci-fi movies of all time, "The Iron Giant," creates a universe where superheroes have real-world problems but out-of-this-world adventures.

Chosen ends its three-issue run without delivering on the promise made by creator Mark Millar. In promoting this series, Millar said: "The story of Jesus Christ in the New Testament is over 2000 years old and so I just want to bring it to a whole new generation of readers."

"Saturday Night Live" has spawned many stars. They break out from the cast and move off the stage and onto the screen. Chevy Chase began the exodus after the first season. He made lots of movies, most of which are forgettable, and since then there has been a revolving door from Rockefeller Center to Hollywood.

My father used to say that even a blind hog would find an acorn every once and a while. In my recent review of "Shrek 2," I wrote that most sequels are nothing more than dumbed-down copies of the original. My father also used to say that you need to make your words sweet, because you might have to eat them.

"The Simpsons" offers a Halloween episode each year. In one of these episodes, Homer gets a magic hammock that allows him to clone himself. The only problem is that each clone is dumber than the already mentally challenged Homer. It seems that each copy gets a little worse than the original.

It has become a cliché. The screen holds 10 simple words: "A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…" Then the screen erupts with the familiar logo for "Star Wars." The music swells and up scrolls the message of what has taken place before our entry into this universe.

There was a time when most TV stations ran old monster movies. Usually on a Saturday night, kids would stay up late to see Bela Lugosi's Dracula, Boris Karloff's Frankenstein and Lon Chaney's Wolfman. These old movies had thrills and chills, and we all grew afraid of those creatures that went bump in the night.

Why did the religious ruling elite dog Jesus' path? In the gospels, it seems this group attended all of Jesus' public events. Was it merely a clash over theology? Or could there have been something deeper and more personal involved?

It seems like every other movie released has a comic book as inspiration. A message board on comics has a thread that asks the question: "Are there too many comic-based movies?" That looks to be a moot point; movies based on comics are here to stay.

Tony Campolo once said that parents' greatest desire is that their children be happy. Our culture is obsessed with wanting to be happy, and much of our unhappiness could be attributed to our bad experiences in relationships. Those that end abruptly seem to multiply the pain.

In I Corinthians 13, Paul makes this statement: "We don't see things clearly. We are squinting in a fog, peering through a mist." It seems that no matter how sure we are, there are times in which the vision of God becomes like finding a needle in a haystack.

If you were a male who grew up in the late 1970s, you probably wanted to drive either a red Grand Torino or an orange Dodge Charger. Hollywood has yet to make a movie version of "The Dukes of Hazzard," so those who want to see the General Lee in action will have to wait. But those who want to see the red Grand Torino can watch it tearing up the streets of Bay City in "Starsky & Hutch."

Most people who know of the story of Jesus wonder what he did between his birth and his baptism. The four Gospels of the New Testament give few hints. About the only story we get comes from Luke, who writes of a 12-year-old Jesus talking in the temple.

Living away from a large urban area can be hard—especially hard when you are a movie buff. Many of the art house films do not come your way. When a movie comes out you cannot get to, you wait with bated breath for its DVD release.

One of the great horrors of our national history—the Civil War—has been the backdrop of some wonderful stories. The most famous is "Gone With the Wind." The love triangle of Scarlet O'Hara, Rhett Butler and Ashley Wilkes is a part of American popular culture. Now, "Cold Mountain" joins the ranks of love stories etched in the wasteland of the Civil War.

"With great power comes great responsibility." That is the famous line penned by Stan Lee in the origin of Spiderman. In comics, those with supernatural powers are faced with a choice: Use those powers for good or for evil. There is always a tension between using powers for self or for the greater good.

Some great books become great films. "Forrest Gump" comes to mind, as does "To Kill a Mockingbird." These movies succeed because they bring to life characters that transfer easily from page to screen. It is now hard to read either book without thinking of Forrest and Atticus being fleshed out by Tom Hanks and Gregory Peck, respectively. These movies leave an indelible mark on the mind. That is the nature of movies; their images stay with us long after the movie is over.

It started with a bang and ends with a whimper. "The Matrix" presented a universe wherein what we saw and inhabited was not real. Reality was unknown, but there was a man, Neo, with the ability to bring salvation to the millions caught in this Matrix.

Joel and Ethan Coen make wonderful movies, many of which focus on love and marriage. One of their funniest movies, "Raising Arizona," deals with a couple's search for completeness through the kidnapping of a child. "O Brother Where Art Thou" takes Homer's Odyssey and turns it into a journey to win back Everett McGill's wife.

A recent survey declared 1939 the greatest year for movies. That year W.C. Fields starred in "You Can't Cheat an Honest Man," one in a long line of con movies with flim-flam men, grifters and con men as protagonists.

"Yo ho! Yo ho! A pirate's life for me!" If you have ever been to Walt Disney World in Florida or Disneyland in California, those words are probably welded into your brain. One of the best rides of the park is now a pretty good popcorn summer movie.

During my seminary days, I was required to take pastoral care, where the professor explained that all of us are messed up, and that our parents are the ones who did it to us. "Hulk" is a movie that attempts to deal with the ways that family messes us up.

"Toy Story" opened the door to a new kind of moviemaking by using computer-generated animation. Such film universes, created with pixels and high-profile celebrity voices, could become box-office hits.

"The Matrix Reloaded" roars on the screen like a juggernaut, with both the visual power to stun the senses and the philosophical underpinning to tantalize the intellect. It will be discussed for months to come in anticipation of the third Matrix film, "The Matrix Revolutions," due for release in November.

Moviegoers with only a passing knowledge of X-Men will probably not like this sequel to 2000's successful "X-Men" movie. This latest adaptation of the comic-book series will seem like an endless series of events with no correlation. But those who know the X-Men and the work of comics creator Chris Claremont will love it.

"Bulletproof Monk" is another entry in the long line of comics-based movies. The problem with "Monk" is that it's like a Chinese dinner: You take one thing from column A, another from column B and yet another from column C to make a meal (or in this case, a movie.)

Adam Sandler made one of the best movies of last year in "Punch Drunk Love." It helped many of us better understand the characters he has played in his other movies. It also gave him a wonderful opportunity to say goodbye to those characters and branch out into new roles.

If you hang around Hollywood long enough and your star power shines bright enough, you'll be given an opportunity to direct your own feature film. The old joke is that most people who act do so in hopes of one day being able to direct. "Head of State" is a vanity project for its star, Chris Rock.

A new year brings many "best of" lists, and there were indeed many noteworthy movies in 2002. But there were some bad ones too, so I sit at the keyboard to point out what I consider the 10 worst. So here it goes, in no particular order ...

Have you noticed that when you eat a piece of cake that is so good you have to have a second piece, that the second piece does not taste as good as the first? "Star Trek: Nemesis" is the about the fourth piece from this cake, and it is not as tasty as the other ones.

Pierce Brosnan proves that he should have been Bond during that sad period when Timothy Dalton was 007. Brosnan is funny and frightening, and he has now placed his signature on the series with this movie.

For older children still moved by metaphor and its magic, this is a wonderful movie. It shines in its story and its portrayal. It can help parents talk to their children about the nature of fame (which has become a national obsession) and its consequences.

If these movies must be made, do with them what should be done. Put them on the Wonderful World of Disney the week before Christmas, not Nov. 1. All the latter does is make us think about Christmas when we have yet to give thanks on Nov. 28.

It has been said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. When it comes to movie remakes, it can also be the source of bad movies that could have been much better. A good case in point is "The Truth About Charlie."

Studios traditionally roll out their "heavy gun" movies in the fall. We see the films that will vie for Best Picture and Best Acting Oscars. This fall, there are some unlikely actors giving unlikely performances.

It is sad that this film has been compared to "The Godfather." "The Godfather" showed us the politics of the mob within the context of family. "Road to Perdition" shows us the context of family within the politics of the mob.

There is an old formula used for movies. You find it in varied forms like "The Three Stooges" short, "Hoi Polloi" and the very funny Eddie Murphy movie, "Trading Places." It focuses on this idea: people are what they are. Nothing can change you because what you are is locked up in your DNA.

Based on the best-selling Rebecca Wells novel, "The Divine Secrets of Ya-Ya Sisterhood" is a southern tale of family life. It presents Sidda Lee Walker, an accomplished playwright whose play has finally hit Broadway. In an interview with Time magazine Sidda reveals her troubled childhood growing up in Louisiana.

At a time when the preservation of wilderness country is a hotly debated political issue in our nation, there is nothing wrong with a reminder of how much we have already lost. "Spirit" is worth seeing just for the stunning animation and that environmental reminder.

Summer blockbusters, like "Spider-Man" and "Star Wars: Episode II—Attack of the Clones," are coming to a multiplex near you. These big, loud movies will be accompanied by Happy Meals, action figures and comic books. But movie-goers can look forward to summer's smallbusters too—those movies that sneak in under the radar but hold great promise.

In John Ford's masterpiece, "The Grapes of Wrath," Casy, the preacher who lost the call, says, "So maybe there ain't no sin an' there ain't no virtue. It's just what people does. Some things folks do is nice and some ain't so nice. That's all any man's got a right to say."

Animation has become a huge part of the movie industry. Years ago, animated pictures were "event" pictures because they were released infrequently. But Disney revived animation with "The Little Mermaid," and now most major studios are producing animated features.

On Feb. 12, many in the movie community awoke with stars in their eyes. Others awoke with stunned looks on their faces. The Oscar race had begun. Some were glad, some sad, others had to be downright mad.

"I Am Sam" tells the story of Sam Dawson, a man who has not developed mentally past the age of seven. He fathers a child with a homeless woman who used his apartment as a flophouse. After the birth of their daughter, the mother disappears into the urban landscape, never to be seen again.

"Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" introduces us to an alternate reality called Middle Earth, a place where "history becomes legend and legend becomes myth," according to the movie's opening voice-over.